As I am sitting here, writing my blog, I can hear a steady rain outside. It has been raining all evening now. At last, after weeks of warm and dry weather. In fact, it is official, this year's April was the warmest since 1892 (or something like that).
But earlier today was just another pleasant, warm, dry day, good time to take a day to go out and explore.
Barrington Court is probably my favourite National Trust property. I have been here a couple of time before. It is an easy, unpretentious place; popular, but not crowded.
When National Trust bought the Tudor manor house in 1907, it was just a derelict shell.
In 1920s it was leased to Sir Arthur Lyle (of Tate and Lyle) and over the next years the Lyle family restored the property. The house itself is now empty, but open to public. Without any furniture one can appreciate more the architecture of the building.
This was the original entrance to the grounds, a gate with a beautiful ironwork.
Instead, you walk past an old apple orchard
through a small door in the wall
via small flower gardens, it's design inspired by Gertrude Jekyll
and then, round the corner, is the Court House, built in 1500, with what used to the stable block (now a shop and a restaurant), next to it
It was very bright for taking photographs today, but I hope you can get some feeling of the place from my pictures.
There is another reason to visit, if you like patchwork. Barrington Patchwork opened its shop in the grounds last summer. The shop is packed with fabrics, loads of Moda, Makower and others! Another "sweet shop" to explore!